#ASEchat 109 Cutting edge science 15 July 2013

What aspects of cutting edge science inspire and engage our students?

With @NeedhamL56 15 July 2013

The chat kicked off with a discussion about the use of Felix Baumgartner’s jump from the edge of space @DoctorACook provided the link http://t.co/KrkgP0zAxI This began to illustrate the overlap between ‘cutting edge’ and topical. Some aspects of science are topical because they are cutting edge but not always. Science teachers have been blown away by the jump from space and have used it with Y12 and Y10

A challenge described was remembering to use a reference to cutting edge science with an appropriate link to the curriculum. It does seem that immediate application is important for inclusion.

Perhaps we forget to include what was topical at a later date because it is no longer topical, but it may still be cutting edge. Indeed @mrcjhewitt described using historical contexts to illustrate cutting edge at that time.